Tuesday Update: Tapscott's Debut

A few quick notes from today's shootaround:

-How's this for irony?
President Ernie Grunfeld has fired only one coach in his days as a general manager or team president. It was with the Knicks in 1996 when he canned Don Nelson after a 34-25 start and replaced him with Jeff Van Gundy. (Nelson was trying to turn Pat Ewing into a point-center).

-Antonio Daniels participated but will be a game-time decision. Tapscott said that while he wants Daniels out there, he also wants to make sure that the veteran guard is right on that sore right knee before having him play.

-Tapscott on making his debut: "I'll have butterflies but I'll be focused and I want the team to do the same thing."

-Tapscott on how much he can realistically change with one practice and one shootaround: "Well, I try to divide what we do into three components: scheme, execution and approach. You can't do but only so much with scheme. We've been working since September on that and we've got very good schemes. The thing we can improve upon is approach: how hard we play. We want to be a hard-working team and a team that executes."

-Tapscott spent the majority of practice time and shootaround time the last two days working on defense.

-Caron Butler again declined to speak about the coaching change. I can't say too much about it because I'll let Caron speak for himself, but the guy obviously respected Jordan and enjoyed playing for him. That said, you can fully expect him to come out full tilt tonight.

thanks ivan but where do we go from here are we still hopeing to make the playoffs or we just hey we have caked this season. and what are some coaches you have in mind that can be our coach for the future, i no mike lee had some thoughts but whats your thoughts on the coaching search

"I'm always going to be thankful to Eddie because he put the ball in my hands when I was an unproven 20-year old and he let me be me," Arenas said. "Not only did he make me an all-star, he made me an all-league player and a global icon. I owe a lot to him. I have no doubt that he's going to be a coach again real soon because he knows basketball and understands players. That's a rare combination."

It's tough to expect too much in this game, but the new coach said more focus on D, 8 or maybe 9 players in the rotation, and consistent minutes.

Let's see now the players react to 1 and what the coach does for 2 and 3.

If the Wiz can reverse the negativity tonight and build positive momentum over the next 11 games, they'll be positioned as well as possible.

The key is the development of McGee, Blatche and Young. If these guys don't improve and become capable of producing off the bench in the playoffs, the Wiz will never get past the first round no matter how many all-stars are on the team.

"Caron Butler again declined to speak about the coaching change. I can't say too much about it because I'll let Caron speak for himself, but the guy obviously respected Jordan and enjoyed playing for him. That said, you can fully expect him to come out full tilt tonight."

What does this mean? How about you can't say anything because CAron wouldn't go on record. Does this mean Caron will be going on record at some point in the near future? And why should we not expect Caron to come out "full tilt" tonight? Does he feel like he has something to prove? What did he say to have you write that?

"Caron Butler again declined to speak about the coaching change. I can't say too much about it because I'll let Caron speak for himself, but the guy obviously respected Jordan and enjoyed playing for him."

Blatche clearly has developed under Jordan. he's a much better player now than he was when he first got here. That's not even debatable. Has he reached his full potential? no, butt then, few late second round picks do after 3 years and change. But to say he hasn't developed is patently untrue.

... and get off Deshawn's junk, prefunk. He's average. Who cares that he got 5 assists per game last week. He's not a NBA quality starter. If he can't hit wide open shots with 2 all stars getting most of the attention, he's not worthy of any minutes. Even the most average of guards can hit an open shot.

...and to piggyback on Kal's comments (which I rarely do), AB has started only 29 games in his career and averaging only 17 minutes per game this year. He has definitely improved but perhaps not at the pace that we need or expect. Also, at what point do you start to blame coaching rather than the player for the same dumb mistakes? I guess yesterday.

Reducing rotation to 8 or 9 players this early in the season looks like a big mistake. Reducing AJ & CB down to 30 minutes to preserve them hopefully for the whole season seems to be a better goal. Otherwise their fragile knees give out, and you've got injured players on your hands. How do you develop the young uns, if you won't play them? If offensive schemes won't change either is this EJ part deux? Where is the vaunted original thinking and analytical mind? Eh, I'm not optimistic.

he's not worthy of any minutes. Even the most average of guards can hit an open shot.

Posted by: delusional_mark | November 25, 2008 1:30 PM

i can't keep up with your logical fallacies-- once again you have made an unsupported statement-- but since when is 35-40% 3-point shooting average? And who else do you suggest play defense? Nick?? Juan Dixon?? lmfao

That plan (if, in fact, that was the plan) went out the window after Thibedeau left and Jordan proceeded to get an injury hobbled Wiz team into the playoffs without their franchise player, a feat for which most people (i.e., most people not on this forum) praised him."

WELL KALARAMA, HERE YOU GO AGAIN. STILL SEEM TO THINK MAKING IT TO THE FIRST ROUND OF THE LEASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. DID YOU POP CHAMPAGNE AFTER THE CAVS LOSS (3 STRAIGHT), I'M SURE YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS AN ACCOMLISHMENT TOO. IF ONLY WE COULD GET ANOTHER COACH AS GOOD AS EDDIE, CAPABLE OF LEADING US TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK AND THE 1ST ROUND YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. THAT IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT RIGHT, MAKING IT TO THE PLAYOFFS???

HEY CALAROMA, WHEN IS COACH JORDAN'S GOING AWAY PARTY?? I'M SURE YOU AND ALL THE PLAYERS WILL BE THERE WITH PARTING GIFTS. I SAY YOU GUYS ALL CHIP IN AND BUY HIM A FOURTH QUATER STRATEGY FOR WINNING GAMES, OR BETTER YET YOU GUYS COULD BUY HIM A DARIUS SONGAILA "FATHEAD" FOR HIS WALL!!

DeShawn (or DeD0uche) is terrible garbage. He's not good at all. Why would you like--or better question is, how can you be a fan of his whatsoever?

Is it because he "stood up" to LeBron James? Regarding that whole sideshow (They had to make the series interesting), it's always better to have more brains than brass. Simply put: D0ucheShawn had no business running his over-hyped/self-hyped mouth. Just shut up and play--especially if you're a player in the mold of Stevenson.

"Blatche clearly has developed under Jordan. he's a much better player now than he was when he first got here. That's not even debatable. Has he reached his full potential? no, butt then, few late second round picks do after 3 years and change. But to say he hasn't developed is patently untrue." - KALORAMA

Well Kal, now I really wonder about you. I was just joking at first, but after that comement, I have sincere doubts about you. In 3+ years under coach Jordan's supreme leadership he has developed into a career 6.7 ppg scorer, and lets not forget his 3.9 rbs. If it wern't for Coach Jordan, Andray's numbers would be nowhere near those excellent numbers. I am sure Andray is crying somewhere now that EJ is gone.

i can't keep up with your logical fallacies-- once again you have made an unsupported statement-- but since when is 35-40% 3-point shooting average? And who else do you suggest play defense? Nick?? Juan Dixon?? lmfao

Posted by: prescrunk | November 25, 2008 1:40 PM

Deshawn is shooting 34% from 2pt range, 28% from3pt range and 68% from the line. To quote Steve Spurrier, "not very good".

"He has definitely improved but perhaps not at the pace that we need or expect."

Which points to the other area in which the issues with Blatche lay more at the feet of Grunfeld and the fans than Jordan's.

Blatche was the 49th pick overall. Most guys taken in that spot are lucky to make an opening day roster in the season following the draft. Teams rarely pin any significant hope for their franchise on a guy taken at the bottom, and for good reason.

The fact that both the fans and the franchise clearly have so much of their hopes for the team's success pinned on a guy taken near the bottom of the entire draft right out of high school is an indication of how slim the pickings are on the team as far as talent and depth. And the fault for that lay with the GM not the (former) coach.

"Also, at what point do you start to blame coaching rather than the player for the same dumb mistakes? "

Conversely, at what point do you actually hold the player, who is (at least by legal definition) a grown man, responsible for his own personal failings in the workplace?

Hey Kal, back to EJ's going away party. Maybe you can buy him a poster of AJ in a captain kirk suit. After all that is his captain and team leader, who plays no D, and robbed the owner.....Or better yet buy him a Deshawn Sword and Shield, since Deshawn was Eddie's "warrior". Eddie felt Deshawn was the guy to lock down LBJ so he placed his faith in him and let the "warrior" guard LBJ man to man, that worked out so well. We are all going to miss EJ's defensive game plans, and that vaunted princeton Offense that got us to the eastern condference finals 3 straight years...Oh wait...........

I'm also pretty sure coach Jordan taught Kal how to type so fluently and flawlessly in all his posts, all the big words and no gramatical errors. Clearly Kal takes his time when posting, and I'm sure he learned that from his hero, The great Coach Jordan. They call it the "Princeton Blogging method"

"Answer: When one guys's contract is guaranteed and multiyear and the other guy's is not, he gets the benefit of the doubt. I'm not saying it's fair but it appears to be the way it is."

I fail to see your point.

Blatche's contract, just like the contract of every other player on the Wizards (except Dixon, Brown, and McGuire) is both guaranteed and multiyear. In fact, his contract actually runs longer than any of the other players at his position(s) other than Jamison's. So the suggestion that he's somehow the fall guy because of his contract status has no legs.

Ab definitely has to take responsibility but I'd look at it this way...

First year he was still recovering from a gunshot.

Second year he was recovered physically but a wide eyed younger-than-average rookie (in terms of pt) who was physically unready.

Third year year he was given 20 minutes a game because his body has filled in and he was able to contribute to the tune of 7.5ppg and 5 rpg.

This year he's only played 11 minutes per game. It's still way too early to gauge what he can or will do. The way he played against Yao was encouraging. Perhaps C is his best position after all. There's no temptation to dribble if he's made to stand under the hoop and hand off after rebounding. teach him. There's no evidence that a lot of teaching was going on during EJ's tenure.

"The fact that both the fans and the franchise clearly have so much of their hopes for the team's success pinned on a guy taken near the bottom of the entire draft right out of high school is an indication of how slim the pickings are on the team as far as talent and depth."

That's such a horse#### excuse. You're a coach, you win with what you have. Eddie Jordan has 2 all-star forwards, a few solid veterans, and a couple very talented youngsters. This team was a 6th seed last season. The only missing parts from last season are the starting center and the 4th guard on the depth chart. That's enough to take a team from 6th in the East to 2nd worst in the league?? No, Jordan lost his touch. He couldn't get these guys motivated, he couldn't get these guys properly prepared, and he couldn't get these guys to play up to their potential. Jordan couldn't get it done with this team.

kal, the question was at what point do you hold the player as opposed to the coach responsible. My answer still stands...

When the multiyear, guaranteed contract player seems to make the same mistakes and doesn't seem to be learning, there can be only 2 culprits. Either the teacher or the pupil is responsible. In the NBA, it's easier to discard the teacher than the pupil. That's my point.

AB is not blameless at all. I'd be willing to gamble that we see noticeable improvement in the young players with EJ gone, though.

In fact, DS is at .389 from 3 point range with the Wiz, not 40%. Remember, this is playing IN THE SAME LINEUP with 2 or 3 all stars and guys daring him to shoot. The dude is getting wide open shots.
This is his 10th year in the league and there's no reason to believe that he'll start having career years now. For the 3 years he's been here, his fg and 3point fg percentages are lower each year. He's done.

It's really simple ... If Tapscott gets this team, without Arenas or Haywood all season, playing great defense and into the playoffs, then, maybe, there'll be an argument that Jordan underachieved. until that happens, however, there's little logic in denying the bareness of the Wizards' cupboard.

"The only missing parts from last season are the starting center and the 4th guard on the depth chart. "

That's what horsesh$t really looks like. First of all, to say they're "only" missing their starting center is ridiculous, esp. given what little deptth they have behind him. Secondly, with Arenas out last year, Daniels was the first guard on the depth chart last season. He's missed half the games this year and was hobbled when he did play. Mason, as primary backup PG and SG was the third guard in the rotation, but arguably the second most important, because he ran the offense when Daniels sat. So, in fact, your argument is completely backwards. They're not missing the 4th guard from last season. Last season's 4th guard (Young) is currently the first player off the bench and the current lead guard (Brown) wasn't even in the NBA last season and is playing on a 1-year, training camp contract.

"Some here seem to have trouble applying that to Eddie Jordan, though. I mean it's perfectly fine that he has a 1-10 record as long as he blames it on having Juan Dixon as his starting PG."

Bo one said a 1-10 record was "fine." but, by the same token, having guys who should be 4th or 5th on the depth chart or out of the NBA entirely starting and/or playing major minutes is a pretty good justification for a losing record.

In fact, DS is at .389 from 3 point range with the Wiz, not 40%...
This is his 10th year in the league...
For the 3 years he's been here, his fg and 3point fg percentages are lower each year.. He's done...

Posted by: original_mark | November 25, 2008 2:24 PM

40.4%(2006-07) + 38.3%(2007-08)/2 = 39.4%.

He is a 39.4% 3-point shooter with the Wiz. He has been here two years and eleven games. Are YOU done?

While walking through the airport last night comming in from an oversea's trip i overheard that Coach Jordan had been fired I immeadiatley thought of all of EJ's critic's and how happy they are,NOW!! you got your wish hope you're all estatic,but not to worry EJ you will have another job soon. EG is covering his backside by firing Jordan but he is now on the "hot seat" i don't buy David Falk's premiss that Pollin wanted to sign Gil and AJ to their ridiculous contract's.As i have stated before it was up to Ernie to manage the cap with the future of this team in mind, not go overboard and mortgage the team's future through two players it's up to Ernie to tell Mr.Pollin that he can't buy a championship at least these two players.

KAL, I HAVE A SERIOUS ? FOR YOU. WHAT ARE THE WIZ GOING TO DO WITHOUT COACH JORDAN? WE WILL AT LEAST 40 PTS A PEICE FROM AJ AND CARON AND 30 FROM NY, JUST TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF COACH JORDAN. HE IS A DC LEGEND AND HIS 197-224 CAREER RECORD HERE IN DC WILL BE IRREPLACABLE. HOW WILL THE NEXT GUY LIVE UP TO COACH JORDAN'S HIGH STANDARDS??

I really feel bad for the next coach. Whom ever it may be has such HUGE shoes to fill. I mean, going to the playoffs every year as a low seed and losing in the 1st round to the same team was such an accomplishment. I don't see how any guy can walk in here and live up to those HUGE expectations.

Coach Jordan relied on cagey vets in crunch time to get us through the 4th quater, you know guys like Darius Songaila. Darius posted huge numbers for Eddie and even led the Wiz to a big win vs the Knicks the other night.

Eddie set the bar very high with his tremendous accomplishments and developing such young talent into stars by playing them the minutes they deserve, you know guys like Andray Blatche.

Well Wiz fans, it's definitely time to panic. We have lost our faithful leader, Coach Eddie Jordan. I don't know if I trust any other coach to make the "tough" decisions that EJ did. I mean what other coach would have the courage to play the "great" Darius Songaila the entire 4th quater against the much heralded New York Knicks?